Vehicle body and method of constructing the same



Aug. 28, 1928.

H. C. MAISE VEHICLE BODY AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE SAME Filed 980- 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet Aug. 28, 1928.

' 1,682,532 H. C. MAISE VEHICLE BODY AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 7, 1925 3 Mum Won Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

PATENT "OFFICE.

HERMAN c. aren, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssreNoR-To BRIGGS MANUFACTURING oo reNY, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A ooa'romrrroN or MIcHreAN.

- vnnronn BODY AND METHOD orcoNsrnucriNe 'rHn sAMn;

Application filed December 7, 1923.. Serial No. 67am,

of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved construction of this general type, with. a view to simplicity in design and construction and the method employed in the construction, improved appearance, in the resultant structure, increased wear-resisting propertiesto the ve:

hicle body finish, coupled: with strength-and durability.-. I V v i y In carrying out the invention it is proposed to form a suitable skeleton framework, and to apply" to such framework preshaped or prefashioned ,metal panels or plates, and to provide novel and improved means of covering and protecting the ads jacent edges of the panels, to the endthat the said panel edges are concealed and the connecting ineansfor said. covering means will, itself, be concealed; and in'this connection it is to be'borne in mind thatwwhile the means forprotecting and covering the )anel ed es are desi ned rimaril for autoengaging said edges.

mobilebodieazthe invention in this particular is susceptible of a variety of adaptations, all of whichare within thespirit of the invention, i j i I Itis also contemplated by thepresent invention to subject the prefashioned panels, prior to, assembly on the;framework, to :suitable enameling and baking processesand furtherto form said panels at their securing .edgesin a manner so as not to crack, mar, or otherwise 1n1urle the finished 1 surface of the body portion of the panelswhen securing; the samein place by, a fastening means More particularly, the invention includes the construction of a-framework, the formation of panels which have been subjected to prefashioning, enamehng, and baking processes, the apphcatlon "and securlng of said panels to the framework, applying at themeeting edges of the panels overlying protecting strips or moldings, and the se-' curing of said strips 1n place by means connected witlnfthough concealed by the exposed portions of the strips, themselves.

A still further feature of the f invention resides in theprovision of securing means such as bolts rivets, or the like, for the joined covering strips ;or' moldings, which, though mounted upon the strips, are adjustable with respect thereto, to the end that fixed points ofconnection or cooperating securing means, such as bolt receiving recesses,

maybe provided at suitable spaced points on the, frame, and when the. stripsfare ap plied, said securing means may be readily moved lnto a proper position with respect to the strip whereby to register with the appropriate cooperating bolt-receiving recess of the frame. Other improvements and novel details in the construction and ar rangement of the parts, and the novel steps in the method employed, will be appreciated from the description to follow, which for a clear understanding of the invention 1s to be considered in connection with the ac- .;compa11ying drawing forming a part hereof, and wherein s disclosed for the purpose of illustration, a convenient, and satisfactory embodiment of the invention; though ltylS my invention, the, panelsibeing secured in placeto the frame of the'vehicle in any de sired'manner, and parts of the panels being broken away; Y t I i FigureQ' is a similar View, disclosing in addition means. for concealing adjoining edgesof the panel sections;

:Figurefiis anv enlarged view partly in perspective and; partly in section, showing panel sections applied to a framewithconcealing means for the meeting edgesofthe panel sections;

Figura is a transverse sectionof adjacent panelsand supportingv frame therefor, with concealing means ,forthe adjacent edges of the'panels, and securing means (in elevation) for the iconcealingzmeans;

,Figure5 is an enlarged detail of aportion of one of the preshaped panels, broken away;

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 3, with the concealing means removed and Figure 7is a detail view with parts cut away and partly in section, illustrating a slightly modified construction of concealing means.

1 work 1 is provided, conveniently of wood,

lVith more particular reference" to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts thoughout the the seveal views, a suitable skeleton frameandtaking any approved form.

plates or panels.

The said frameworkincludes parts '2" to;

which areadapted to be secured the'body These plates or panels 3= are preferably formed of metal, and it IS one of the objects of the invention topreshape- 01" prefashion these panels, and to subject the same to enamelin'g'and' baking processes prior to the applicationof the same-to the framework, in, order that when secured in position'a series of cooperating prefashioned panels will assume the desired curvature of the completed vehicle body;

It has'been ascertained that dilliculty has some times been experienced in assembling prefas'hi-onecl panels having enamel applied thereto, because of injury to the enameled surface incident to the application of the securingmeansp In other words, the 'portions of the, enameled surface adjacentthe securing edges thereof sometimes become dented, and the enameling cracked or otherwise marred during the securing operation and "order to effectively overcome this possibility, it is proposed to provide the panels at theirsecuringiedges with inwardly ofi'set portions t having atsuitable intervals tongues orextension's- 5 to which latter are i 7 applied the 'securingjmeans such as bolts or rivets '6 adapted to engage the framemember 2. The rojecting tongue 5 of the securing edges oi the panels form therebetween elongated cutout pa-rts or recesses 7 of a lbn'gth considerably greater thanthe width T of thetongues 5, hereby the recesses 7 Toflthe securing edges of one panel member will constitute receiving chambers for the tongues ofv a cooperating panel members, rte-t ngues and. recesses on the adjacent panel members being arranged in alternate relation; and because'of the length of the "recesses' 7, there will beino difficulty in registearing the tongue of one panel withthe re- I "ceiyir'rg chambers of the cooperating panels,

regardless of' slight irregularities in the assembly of the panels. The projecting possible;

It is also desirable to provide the spaces 7 between the projecting tongues 5 of a length considerably greater than that necessary for the tongue, whereby toleave an exposed area'of the frame2 between the overlapping tongues of respective panels when assembled. In these exposed portions of the frame 2 are positioned suitable bolt or rivet holes 8 fora' purpose about to be described. 7

a It is desirable, ofc 'ourse, to provide means for concealing the adjacent edges of the panels together with the securing means therefor, and one of the features of thein vention includes a novel formof molding or coveringystrip ada'ptedgto overlie said adjoining'edges of thepanels-and to be effec tively secured tothe frame. In the preferred embodiment of this feature'of-the invention, the covering member conveniently a body part 9 and inwardly turned flanges 10. VThe member 910 nay take different i I designs and configurations but is'preferably curved so as to presentasubstantially C shaped cross section, whereby the curvature of the body "portion 9 willgive a 'p'leasing curvature of headed bolts or the like 11, the shanks ofiwhich are adapted to projectinto or through the openings 8 in the frame 2 and to be secured in place-as by nuts'12, enga 'ing threaded terminals 13 of said bolts.

The

bolts, as suggested, have headed nuts 14;

adapted to be seated, in the channel formed between thef-inwardly turned flanges 10 and outward appearanceas well as allow for the the body portion 9 of a covering strip or molding, the engagingfbetween the headed end'of the bolts 14 and the channelbei'ng loose one, whereby the bolts'are readily adjustable by a sliding movement-lengthwise with respect to the covering strips 9+10, to

the end that the bolts may be readily brought 'i-nto registration with the' cooperating/receiving recesses 8 positioned at any desired predetermined position in :the frame 2 at points in the spaces between the tonguesfi llo o of the adjoining channels 3. "Securing means for the covering members other than that specifically illustratedimay be provided,

'assumingithat such securing means isofsuch i a character as to be adjustable with-respect to the covering strip, whereby ito register as desired, with the cooperating securing means arranged at fixed points on the frame-J In the modified form of construction illustrated in Figure 7, it is suggestedthatthe i covering-or finishing strip 9'10"may bes'ecured in place by means of, suitable tacks, bolts, orlthel ke ll, but'in this embodiment the invention it is desirable toutilize 'a.

supplemental covering strip;(see i 15 of Ei'g-v ure 3) to conceal such retaining means.

The covering strips 9 -1O may, i'f desired,

an'dpreferably are, subjected to enameling $5 takes the form offa' channel'bar comprising and baking processes prior to their application, in order that the appearance may correspond largely with that of the finish of plemental covering strip may under slightpressure be snapped over the main covering strips 9 10 and thus be yieldably held .in'

place." Where the supplemental covering strips -16 are employed it maynot be necessary to subject the main covering strip 9 1O to enameling and baking processes, but

it is preferable to subject the supplemental covering strip to such enameling and baking operationsbefore application.

, The present invention makes possible the preliminary prefashioning of the panel plates and the finishingof the same by enameling andbaking prior to theapplication of the framework, since such finishing of the plates will not bedisturbed or. marred by the securing of the panels in position; and by reason of the peculiar securing means provided, the panels will be effectively mounted, and a strong and durable body results. U

-By reason of the novel type ofmolding and securingmeans for the latter, it isnot necessarythat the openings8 in the framework be accurately positioned, since they readily adapt themselves oneto the other by the adjustable characteristics incident to the mounting of the bolts on the covering.-

Again, the bolts being carried by the covering, in the channel part thereof, the covering constitutes a concealing medium for its own securing means.

Because of the staggered arrangement of the tongues which project from adjacent panels, it will be appreciated that the edges of adjacent panels may be brought into closer registration than in prior constructions ;and

- this also makes possible the use of a covering or concealing strip of molding of less width than in prior constructions, which not only enhances the appearance of the vehicle body as a whole, but also tends to reduction in the cost of manufacture.

What I claim is: v a 1. The method of constructing vehicle bodies, comprising the formation of a frame work of wood or the like, pre'fashioning metal panels to form the exterior body, forming ofi'set edge flanges on said panels, subsequently subjecting said pre-fashioned metal panels before application to the framework to an enameling process, securing thepanels at saidoifset flanges only to the framework whereby to prevent marring of the enameled surfaces, and applying concealing strips to the joints between adjacent edges of the panels by means concealed by the concealing strips. 7 1

2. A vehicle body construction comprising a framework, metallic plates having offset edges secured to the framework, molding overlying the joints between the plates, and means connecting with and covered by the molding to secure the latter in place indcpendently of the plates. 8. In avehicle body, the combination of a skeleton frame, plates or panels secured to said frame and having edges without out parts, means for concealing the adjoining edges of the plates, the frame having spaced openings arranged adjacent said cut out parts, and securing means for said concealing means adjustably positioned on the interior of the latter whereby to register with said openings.

4. In a vehicle body havin adjoining plates with portions of said adjoining plates overlapping, means for securing said overlapping portions tothe frame of the vehicle body, a concealing. strip for the securing means and the overlappingportions of the joints between the plates, and securing means for said concealing strip, mounted upon and itself concealed by said strip.

5. A panel for vehicle bodies, comprising a pro-fashioned and prewenameled metallic body part,;and"securing edges ofiset inwardly with respect to the pre fashioned body part,

wherebysecuring means may be applied to the offset edges without harmful effect on the pre-fashionedand pro-enameled body part of the. panels.

6. A prefashioned panel forvehicle bodies, havingan, offsetsecuring edge with cutout parts forming alternate tongues and reor plates with adjacent securing edges hav ing projecting tongues, the tongues of the edges of one panel being arranged in alternate relation with the tongues of adjacent panels, a covering. strip adapted. to overlie adjacent edges of the panels, and securing means projecting from the strip and engaging the framework 'in the recess between the tongue of adjacent panels.

9. In an automobile body, a plurality of adjoining panel plates, said plates at edges.

'their adjoining edges having overlapping likelihood bf damaging the body portion of the panels, and a molding strip of a width to overlie said offset edges and the body portion of the plates connecting with said 11. In an automobile body, the combination of a frame, metal panel plates hav ng spaced securing tongues oil'set inwardly from the bodyportion of said. plates, the

spaces between the tongues, of one plate being adapted to receive the tongues oi an adjacent plate, and the tongues of adjacent plates being separated laterally by spaces,

a covering strip adapted to overlie the securing tongues, and securing means for the covering strip adapted to engage the wooden frame at points in registration with the spaces between said tongues.

12. In a vehicle body construction, the

combination with a frame member, of metal panels spaced apart on said frame member,

the adjacent edges of said panels having.

laterally spaced staggeredly arranged attaching tongues, securing means for'said panels engaging the said tongues, molding concealing said tongues and the adjacent edges of said panels, andsecuring means for said molding extending between the laterally spaced tongues and engaging said frame member.

13. In a vehicle body, the combination with a i rame member, of metal panels posil signature;

asagna tioned on said frame member,'- the metal panels having pre-fashioned body portions and edges, with laterally spaced staggeredly arranged attaching tongues, the spaces be tween the tongues being of substantially greater wldth than thelVldth of the tongues,

securing means for said panels engaging the;

tongues and out of contact with the body portion of the panels, molding concealing said tongues and the adjacente'dges' of said panels, and securing means for said molding extending into the space between'the latert ally spaced tongues and engaging said frame member. a v V "lLIIl' vehicle body construction, the

combination of'a frame part, adjacent panel members having pre-fashioned and preenameled surfaces prior to application to the frame part, and said panels also having at their adjacent-edges offset flanges extending substantially parallelwith the body of the panels, means for securing said offset edges directly to the frame part, whereby in'th'e application of the panels the presha'ped'and pre-enaineledsurfaces will not be damaged,

the said adjacent flanges havingrut out pai'tsforming alternate tongues and grooves, with the tongues of the flange on one panel lying within the space of the grooves of the adjacent panel and said grooves beingofa width somewhat greater than the length of the tongues whereby .to provide an inter-f mediate space, and a molding adapted 'to overlie the adjacent edges of the panels, and means carried by the molding and length wise movable with respect thereto adapted to be seei1r'ed '-di1*ectly to the frame part by passing through the space between the tongues and grooves of the edges of the panels." i

In testimony'whereof Ihereu'nt'o afiix my i o. MAISE. 

